Sometimes frozen vegetables can be even healthier than fresh — here's why

Frozen vegetables aren't bad for you — sometimes they can better for you than fresh vegetables. Shutterstock

With many myths out there claiming that frozen foods are bad for your health, you've surely wondered if frozen vegetables fall into that category too.

INSIDER spoke with several nutritionists and found out that frozen veggies are pretty comparable to fresh.

They can save you time and are usually frozen at peak freshness.

Frozen veggies line the freezers from top to bottom at the grocery store. But with many myths floating around today discrediting frozen foods, have you stopped to wonder if even the vegetables offer you many nutrients?

INSIDER decided to talk to several nutritionists to find out how frozen vegetables compare to fresh veggies.

Frozen vegetables are picked at their peak in terms of freshness and nutrients.

Vegetables destined to be "frozen" are harvested at a time when their freshness and nutritional value are optimal, according to Fiona B. Lewis, DrPH, MS, RDN, LDN, Chef, and founder of LLBJ Culinary and Wellness Enterprises LLC and Chef Enthusiast.

Shortly after harvest, these vegetables are blanched, a cooking technique that partially cooks food, and then are frozen, Lewis told INSIDER. This preserves their nutritional value, kills off the bacteria, and stops it from spoiling, according to Sabrina Rice, holistic nutritionist, owner of Nourished For Life.

During blanching, vegetables may lose some vitamin C and B vitamins, Lewis explained, but for the most part, much of their nutrients are preserved making them as healthy, if not healthier, than fresh vegetables.

Fresh vegetables are typically shipped from long distances making them less nutrient dense than frozen veggies.

Traveling a long distance can reduce a vegetable's nutrients. Getty Images/Sandra Mu

Fresh vegetables are often transported great distances after harvest, which makes them less nutrient dense than frozen vegetables, according to Rice.

Though they were likely harvested at optimal nutritional values, the time it takes to deliver them to stores around the country will cause them to lose some of their nutrients unlike frozen as discussed above.

"Sometimes, frozen is better if your produce is picked unripe and sitting in the grocery store for days. Or even if picked at ripeness and then still sitting for days," Rice told INSIDER.

It's important to know when it is best to consume certain vegetables throughout the year in order to reap the most nutrients, Rice added. So if you don't have access to quality raw vegetables, then frozen may be a better choice nutritionally speaking.

Frozen vegetables are your best, time-saving friend.

When you're on a tight schedule, according to Lewis, frozen vegetables can save you time preparing meals.

A mixed bag of frozen vegetables (peas, corn, carrots), for instance, can be used for a quick stir-fry. Soups and chili are quick recipes when cooking up your frozen veggies, Lewis added, and they save you time slicing and dicing.

Fresh vegetables offer a greater variety than frozen options.

Some veggies aren't meant to be frozen. Flickr/LA Foodie

Unfortunately, not all vegetables are meant to become "frozen." According to Barry Sears, president, Zone Labs, the ones you do see in the freezer aisle have been selected for sale because of their flavor retention characteristics in the frozen format.

Frozen vegetables are usually inexpensive and have a longer shelf life.

When it comes to budgeting, frozen vegetables can save you money compared to fresh ingredients you find at the farmers market or even in produce sections.

Additionally, they have a shelf life of approximately eight months so they are less likely to go bad if you forget about them, unlike your fresh veggies, according to Lewis.

Their long shelf life also makes them ideal for eating when the raw vegetables you love are not in season. However, it is important to note that the nutrients in frozen vegetables degrade over time. After three months, they start to lose nutritional value, Rice added.

Raw, seasonal vegetables from the farmer's market or your locally sourced grocery stores offer you the most nutrients.

When it comes down to getting the most nutrients out of your vegetables, your best bet is going local. Farmers markets and locally sourced grocery stores can offer you seasonal vegetables which ensure you with the maximum nutrition benefits, Lewis explained.

These vegetables are harvested at their freshest and aren't traveling long distances to get to you, meaning they are at their peak in terms of nutrients.

"However, this may not be possible year round based on seasonality, budget constraints, food allergies, and health conditions. In this case, frozen vegetables are a good option," Lewis told INSIDER.

Both frozen and fresh vegetables do wonders for your health.

Vegetables are great regardless of whether they're fresh or frozen. The choice is yours.thecampbells/Flickr

In the end, when asked which they preferred, our nutritionists stated that either frozen or raw vegetable options are dependent on preference.